1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to information handling systems (IHS), and more particular to a modularly-assembled IHS and an enclosure of different configurable heights of IHSes.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continue to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems (IHSes). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes, thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, IHSes may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSes allow for IHSes to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSes may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of IHSes often assembles an IHS such as an individual server or a rack assembly including a number of rack servers. The OEM then ships the assembled individual server or the rack-assembled IHS to an end user destination. Often these IHSes are built to order. Numerous industry conditions can preclude assembling any particular configuration before an order is received from an end user. For example, the processor and other aspects of computer technology are rapidly evolving, the cost of certain compute components used in an IHS is subject to volatility, and customer requirements can have great variability. One implication of waiting for customer orders is that the utilization efficiency of the workforce at the OEM is subject to the vagaries in the amount of orders received.
Some end users are sophisticated in their understanding of IHSes and invest in a large number of IHSes for a data center facility. A large order can create a correspondingly large manufacturing delay at the OEM. However, the end user may have the space and personnel required to configure their IHSes onsite. Further, the end user may also have some motivation to select particular compute components to be used within the IHS. In addition, similar considerations can be applicable after deployment of the IHS, particularly for continued servicing and upgrading of the IHSes. Also, the end user may prefer to order chasses and compute components that can be economically and quickly shipped.
One particular limitation on configuring IHSes for use in standard racks is the correct sizing of the chassis of the individual server IHS being installed into the rack. Standardization of dimensions of rack servers fosters design and manufacturing economies for information technology (IT) components that are part of an IHS. One such standardization is on the height of a chassis inserted into a rack. For example, a chassis that is configured to house a server or a chassis configured for storage devices of a multiple chassis IHS can have a vertical height of one (1) rack unit, or 1U. Mounting infrastructure can also be configured for other multiples of 1U, such as 2U, 3U, 4U, etc. Functional computer components can have a vertical dimension that can support a 1U chassis or can require greater vertical spacing. The advantages of configuring an IHS at an end user destination can be offset by the increased work and inventory requirements to accommodate all of the permutations of required chassis heights and rack mounting infrastructure. Having a single chassis of sufficient height for all configurations would waste space in certain instances, which is undesirable when requirements are for dense storage. Conventional chasses are manufactured to a specific form factor (e.g., a 1U or some higher number other form factor, such as 2U or 3U. These chasses will accommodate only those components specifically manufactured for that specific form factor and will typically fit only in a rack configured to hold that specific form factor.